Automatic switch and locking device for lever control of steering-posts.



R. HERMAN. AUTOMATIC SWITCH AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR LEVER CONTROL OF STEERING POSTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1910.

Pat ented A r-.21, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. HERMAN.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR LEVER CONTROL OF STEERING POSTS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 8, 1910.

1,093,622. Patented Apr. 21 19M 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES r agiinr OFFICE.

REINHOLD HERMAN, F GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR LEVER CONTROL OF STEERING- ros'rs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914'.

Application filed March 8, 1910. Serial No. 548,079.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Rmm-iono HERMAN, a citlzen of the United States of America,

residing at Grafton, in the county of Alle-.

gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches and LockingDevices A further object 15 to provide an automatic make and break device carried by and movable with the lever control for the timer, said make and break device being located \vithinthe primary circuit of the vibrator.

A further object is to provide a locking device operative at will for retaining the lever control of the timer in a position where the vibrator is rendered inactive through the make and break device.

Other and fun ther Objectsof the invention are to provide a device of this type which is simple and efiicient in operation, durable in construction and which can be manufactured and applied at a relatively low cost. y

To these and other ends the nature of which will. be readily understood as my invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate simi- ,lar parts in each of the v1ews,-F1gure 1 1s a longitudinal sectional view of a steering post, parts being broken away, to which my invention has been applied, said view also showing, in/ somewhat diagrammatic form, mechanism operated by the lever control of the steering post. Fig. 2 is a top plan view the steering wheel. lugs. 3 and 4 are top plan views showing a preferred form of automatic switch mechanism, Fig. 3 indicating the form used in connection With a circuit adapted to be broken when the vibrator is renderedinactive, while Fig. 4 illustrates the form preferred when the circuit is closed to render the sparking mechanism inactive. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing the circuits including the make and. break device shown in Fig. 3. i In the drawings designates the steering post having the steering column 11 and wheel, 12.

13 designates the tubular support for the lever controls and the quadrant, the latter being designated as 14.

15 designates the sleeve or tubular column which carries pinion '16 adapted to control thead uStment of the timer T, through suitable connections indicated diagrammatically 18 designates the shaft which controls the carburetor valve mechanism indicated at 0, this control being provided by the pinion 19 and Oconnections shown diagrammatically at 2 21 designates the lever which is adapted to operatethe sleeve 15, and 22 designates the lever adapted to operate the shaft 18, said.

levers being provided with means cooperating with the quadrant let for controlling their positions in operation.

The timing mechanism is of any preferred type; one type, indicated conventionally in Fig. 5, includes the vibrator connected pp ina primary circuit 31, the vibrator operating in the usual manner; the particu lar type of mechanism is immaterial.

Theparts above referred to are those provided in one type of steering post mechanism for automobiles, and are illustrated simply for the purpose of indicating one way in which my pres nt invention may be applied, itbeing rea ily understood that the ssame may be employed in connection" with other types of control mechanism for motors having the element of timing as a factor. V

The present invention pertains more particularly'to the provision of a make. and break device within the primary circuit of the vibrator or within a magneto circuit, depending upon which form of sparking mechanism is being employed. This make and break device is in the form of a'circular member 35 composed of a metallic bushing 36 adapted to be secured on a support, such as sleeve 15, an annular ring 37 of insulation of any desired type, and a peripheral metallic ring 38 surrounding the ring 37, the bushing 36 and ring 38 being provided with flanges by means of which the parts are secured together. Secured to a suitable support 40 are a pair of spaced-apartinsulated fingers 41, connected through binding posts 42 within the rimary circuit, the free ends of said fingers icing adapted to contact with the peripheral face of the ring 38 with sufficient pressure to provide an efficient contact therewith, the ring completing the circuit between the two fingers, the latter acting as terminals. For the purpose of providing the make and break in the circuit,

where the latter is of the type indicated in Fig. 5, I provide a break inthe continuity of the periphery of the ring 38, as, for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 3, Where a recess 43 is provided, which recess is of a size and depth suflicient to permit the fingers 4-1; to

be freed from contact with the ring 38 each finger having its free end provided with a curved portion 39 to provide a more efiicient contact and prevent liability of a catching of parts during movements of the device 35. This freedom from. contact breaksthe circuit and the latter remains broken until the device 35 is rotated to again bring the ring 38 into contact with the fingers 41. Ohviously, an alternative construction would be to dispense with the recess 43 and provide a suitable insulation on the peripheral plane at the point where the recess is located, this latter construction providing for a break in the circuit. 7

Where the sparking is provided by a magneto system of the usual type, in which case the circuit is closedto render the device inactive, the fingers 41. are positioned so as to normally remain out of contact with the periphery of the ring 38, thus permitting the magneto operation to take place at the proper time, the ring is provided with a lug or projection 45' which, during the rotative movement of the device 35, Wlll be brought into contact with the fmgers 41 and short circuit the magneto and thus render the system inactive;

,In each of the forms of device 35 pre sented, said device issecured in position on the sleeve 15 in such manner that when the control lever 21 is at zero or at one end of the quadrant 14-, the device 35 will be in, the position shown in Fig. 3, or if the structure shown in Fig. 4 is used, the lug 45 will then be in contact with the fingers 41, the parts in this position completely cutting out the sparking 'circuit and rendering impossible the forming of a. spark in the motor. When the control lever 21 is moved around the the device 35 tageous as a means for mechanism, is mc 21 pivotally to again render the sparking mechanism active either by completing the primary circuit 31 or opening the s 1ort circuit, the limit of rotative movement of the arm being immaterial, the device being so arranged as tocause the change at only one point in the rotative quadrant to advance the timing -movement. In order that the timing mechanism may remain inactive and be held against accidental or mischievous actuation during the absence of the operator, I provide the quadrant with an opening 50 positioned in such manner as to cause any object, such as a pin, padlock 51 or other suitable device, to act as an absolute barrier against a movement of the control lever 21. And inasmuch as the control lever 22 for the carburetin device has its position in approximate alinement with the lever 21 when the carbureter valve is closed, I prefer to place the opening 50 at a point where such stop will operate equally with both levers, thereby locking themin their inactive positions and absolutely preventing operation of the motor. As will be readily understood this particular construction, operation and location of the device 35 provides especial advantages with respect to safety in operation of the motor vehicle, since there is provided an absolute 5 sition and thereby requiring no time-losing adjustment. And the feature which enables the parts to be locked in their inactive positions makes the device especially advanpreventing surreptitious using of the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new is zy 1. In combination, a timing mechanism for controlling the movements of a motor, a circuit for said mechanism, a lever control for said mechanism, and means independent of the timing mechanism and permanently movable with and controlled by movements of the lever control for rendering said circuit inoperative when the lever control is shifted to a pre-determined inactive position.

2. In combination, a timing mechanism for controlling the movements of an explosive motor, a steering post, a control circuit for effecting motor explosions, a lever control carried by said post for controlling the rapidity of motor explosions, and a make and break device located within said circuit and permanently movable with said lever control for rendering the circuit inoperative when the lever control is shifted to a predetermined inactive position.

3. In combination, a timing mechanism, a steering post, a control. circuit, a lever car ried by the post, and a make and break dei vice in said circuit and operated by said conlot trol, said device comprising a pair of spacedapart terminals within the circuit and a ter- .uunechanism also carried by said post, a make and break device including an element permanently movable with and controlled by movements of the lever control for rendering the circuit inoperative when the lever control is shifted to zero position, and means carried by the quadrant for securing the lever control in such zero position to prevent surreptitious operation of the motor.

5. In combination, a timing mechanism, a steering post, a quadrant carried by the post,

a control circuit, a lever control for the tim-- ing mechanism also carried by said post, carburetor control mechanism also carried by the post and including a levercontrol, said lever controls being movable in the same direction to place them in substantial aline ment in zero osition, a make and break device for ren ering the circuit inoperative when the timing lever control is shifted to zero position, and means carried by the quadrant and located at a single point for securing both controls in such zero position to prevent surreptitious operation of the motor.

6. In combination, a timing mechanism, a steering post, a control circult, a lever control carried by the post, and a make and break device in said circuit and operated by said control, saiddevice comprising a pair of spaced-apart terminals within the circuit and a terminal connecting member permanently carried by said control. and axially alined with said post, said member being movable with the control and adapted to render the circuit inoperative only when the lever control is shifted to zero position.

7. In combination, an explosive motor for motor vehicles having a steering post, a control circuit for rendering the motor active, a

lever control pivotally mounted on said post,

and having a portion extending below the foot board of the vehicle, and means located within said circuit including an element mounted on said lever control orti on below the foot board and movable with said lever control for rendering the circuit inoperative when the lever control is shifted to a predetermined inactive position.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

REINHOLD HERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of intents, Washington, D. 0. 

